It: Welcome to Derry, the prequel series to Stephen King's It novel, finally made its much-awaited premiere on HBO. The horror series will follow an origin story for King's shape-shifting clown, Pennywise, in 1962 Maine, where he gears up for a new cycle of violence and horror.In Stephen King’s terrifying universe, evil rarely exists without an opposing force. In It, that balance is embodied by Maturin the Turtle. Far from being just a mythic creature, Maturin is a cosmic guardian and one of the oldest beings in King’s multiverse, and the eternal counterpoint to Pennywise’s chaos. In the 1986 novel, Maturin is said to have created the universe by vomiting it into existence. He is a being of immense wisdom and calm, existing in stark contrast to the consuming hunger of It.With HBO Max’s It: Welcome to Derry set to explore the deeper mythology of Derry and the origins of Pennywise, fans are speculating that the series could finally bring Maturin’s spiritual presence to life on screen, who was previously neglected in the films.More on this in our story.It: Welcome to Derry- Who is Maturin the turtle in Stephen King's universe? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMaturin the turtle is not just a God-like figure in Stephen King's universe but also the overarching protagonist in the novel It. While he was not included in the movie adaptations, he remained a subtle presence and King's readers even recognized clever Maturin easter eggs in It and It: Chapter Two. Maturin is a large sea turtle with cosmic energy, largely known as the creator of the King's macroverse. The life-giving turtle stands in complete contrast to the killer clown and thus eventually becomes his biggest arch-enemy in King's original work.While the creature does not directly defeat Pennywise, he provides cosmic guidance and shares words of wisdom that might help in the shape-shifting clown's downfall. His absence from the It movies was shocking but It: Welcome to Derry can finally right this wrong and include this forgotten detail in the prequel series.In King's novel, after Bill's Ritual of Chüd sends him into the Macroverse, he meets the giant turtle for the first time, who helps the Loser's Club in winning against the ancient clown.It: Welcome to Derry- Duck and cover View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIt looks like the Muschietti siblings are finally giving Maturin the turtle its due in It: Welcome to Derry. The first episode of the horror prequel series was rife with turtle motifs and easter eggs, which had many fans believe that this cosmic force might become the key to Pennywise's downfall.In the opening moments of the It: Welcome to Derry premiere, we are given a glimpse of a signboard in the school which reads, 'Bert the turtle says 'Duck and Cover'' Bert the turtle even makes a cheeky appearance in the school (a student dressed in a turtle costume) but everybody seems to ignore him. However, the biggest Easter egg about Maturin the turtle was hidden in Lily's turtle trinket, which she traded with Matty (shown in the flashback). While it was an easily overlooked detail, dismissed by a mere 'Turtles are lucky', it holds significance in Stephen King's universe and came into play in the final moments of Episode 1.Call it a coincidence, but it was too obvious that only Lily survived the mutant baby's bloodbath in the movie theatre from the It: Welcome to Derry premiere. In addition to her turtle trinket literally being her guardian angel, she also listened to Bert the turtle's advice and 'Duck and cover' beneath the theatre seats when the mutant baby was out for the children's blood. While Phil and Teddy ran in fear and tried to escape the monster, Lily quietly ducked and took cover under the seats and fortunately survived the monster's ordeal.This subtle foreshadowing suggests that Maturin the turtle could likely become the key to Pennywise's downfall, only if Lily and the others manage to reach him and ask for his cosmic guidance.It: Welcome to Derry will air weekly episodes every Sunday on HBO. Episode 2 is scheduled for an early release on HBO Max on Halloween night, ie, October 31.For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.